NO TIME TO DIE REVIEW

By Garry Michael Kluger

They say that there are only two sure things in life: death and taxes. Perhaps that should be rewritten to say: Since 1962 there are only three sure things in life: death, taxes, and a new James Bond movie.

In the nearly 60 years since James Bond first strode across the screen, in time to his classic theme, there have been 7 actors who have portrayed Ian Fleming’s ultimate gentleman spy (8 if one includes Barry Nelson’s James Bond in the 1954 television version of Casino Royal, which no one ever seems to do), and 25 movies. No Time To Die is the latest in this epic series and the final turn of Daniel Craig as the immortal Bond.

What has made this everlasting series so successful, to most observers, is the basic simplicity of the films themselves. From the 110 minutes of Dr. No to the somewhat bloated 163 minutes of No Time To Die, these movies have always been non-stop action surrounding minimal plots. Most times the themes seem to concern some vast criminal organization (the inimitable SPECTRE being the most popular of these groups), bent on world domination -- or a heretofore unknown megalomaniac resolved to either destroying the world or holding it for ransom. Though No Time To Die does have several side stories that deal directly with Bond’s personal life, it ultimately falls in the latter category of plots - though SPECTRE does raise its octopus head long enough to give Bond one last go-round in another failed attempt to kill him.

This particular story revolves around Lyutsifer Safin (Rami Malek), a bioterrorist in possession of a biological poison, so intricately designed, that it can be targeted to specific DNAs. And as most villains in spy movies are wont to do, this weapon of mass destruction is up for sale to the highest bidders. And, of course, it’s Bond’s job to stop the devilish Safin.

What truly seems to set No Time To Die apart from the other 24 films is Bond himself. He seems to have truly evolved from the unfeeling agent with “a license to kill” from 1962 to a full-blown human being, having all the same emotions as the rest of us in 2021, who don’t kill for a living. Though Craig’s Bond has always seemed more fraught with faults, foibles, and feelings, his last spin at this character takes these traits to their most human level in its 60-year history.

If there is one fault in No Time To Die, it would lie with the villain. Malek’s Safin, with his almost monotone delivery, is so cartoonish, that it’s hard not to laugh as the movie progresses and he gets more “evil.” But in Malek’s defense, aside from Joseph Wiseman’s Dr. No, Bond villains have always struggled to surpass one-dimensional.

As a whole, No Time To Die is a wonderful addition to the Bond Cinematic Universe, and if there were just one sure thing about this film, it’s that it is one hell-of-a-ride.